Boat



Dec. '16, 1941. R, SMITH 2,266,661

- BOAT Filed Aug. 27, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor Patented Dec. 16, 1941 UNITED STATES P'Fil' 2 Claims.

This invention appertains to new and useful improvements in boats and more particularly to boats of the folding type.

The present subject matter was disclosed in my application Serial No. 244,856 which matured into Patent No. 2,211,083, August 13, 1940.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a folding boat which can be readily folded whenever desired to permit transportation thereof on a suitable conveyance such as a trailer.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a folding boat involving sections which can be brought together quickly to a leak-proof connection.

Various other important objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a side elevational view of the boat.

Figure 2 is a top plan View.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the boat in folded position.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the boat in folded position.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen that numeral 43 denotes the front section of the boat while the numeral 44 denotes the rear section. At the gunwales, the sections are hingedly connected together as at 45, 45, the sections being divided as at 46 on a bias to the longitudinal axis of the boat structure when in extended position. The rear edge portion of the boat section 43 is grooved as at 41 to receive a packing strip 48 which projects from the rear edge portion of the boat section 44. Thus when the sections are brought together as shown in Figure 3, the packing strip 48 will prevent any seepage of water into the boat structure.

In addition to this, and in order to expand the packing in the groove 41, connecting means generally referred to by numeral 49 is provided between the boat sections. The connecting means consists of bearings 50 through which a shaft 5| extends and on this shaft at the end portions thereof are eccentrically mounted disks 52 operating in rings 53 from which shanks 54 extend. These eccentric disks 52 are mounted on the boat section 43 while on the boat section 44 are the upstanding bifurcated lugs 55 through which shanks 54 extend. The shanks are threaded to accommodate nuts 56 which can be fed on the shanks to abut the lugs 55. The lugs are carried by a cross bar 51 suitably secured to the bottom of the boat section 44.

Obviously when the nuts 56 have been tightened against the lugs 55, further tightening of the connection is accomplished by swinging a hand lever 58 to substantially the dotted line position shown in Figure 3, thus operating the eccentric disks 52.

A suitable cover plate is adapted to be placed over the intermediate portions of the boat, that is, the hingedly connected end portions of the sections, when the sections are in folded position as shown in Figures 4 and 5. This acts as a closure for this portion of the boat. The cover can, of course, be removed, and the sections in the folded relation will define a sleeping compartment in which two people can comfortably sleep.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A boat structure comprising a pair of sections hingedly connected together and packing means between abutting edges of the boat sections, and contracting means between the boat sections, said contracting means consisting of a shaft mounted on one of the sections, an eccentric on the shaft, a ring in which the eccentric operates, a draw bar extending from the ring and a connection between the draw bar and the other section.

2. A boat structure comprising a pair of sections hingedly connected together and packing means between abutting edges of the boat sections, and contracting means between the boat sections, said contracting means consisting of a shaft mounted on one of the sections, an ec centric on the shaft, a ring in which the eccentric operates, a draw bar extending from the ring and a connection between the draw bar and the other section, said connection consisting of a bifurcated lug on the said mentioned section through which the draw bar extends and a stop member on the draw bar for abutting relation with the bifurcated lug.

ROBERT J. SMITH. 

